At that one word, a game of hide-and-seek began in the palace.
And the tagger is, of course...
"Where could Linea be?"
...It was me.
The kids do all the fun things.
I tried hard not to see the shoes clearly visible under the curtain and pretended to look for them only with my mouth.
"I really can't find Lucian!"
Of course, Lucian's fingertips were clearly visible behind the sofa.
Soon, the sound of children giggling reached my ears.
Since the children had never played a game like hide-and-seek before, they laughed a lot at even the smallest things.
I quietly approached Linea and whispered.
"Huh? Whose shoes are these?"
Then Linea's foot wiggled.
'Cute.'
Despite the pitiful movement of her feet, as if begging me to pretend not to notice until the end, I eventually poked Linea's soft belly through the curtain.
Tap.
"Linea. I found you!"
Soon, Linea peeked her face out from behind the curtain and giggled.
"You already knew all of this earlier, didn't you?"
"You hid so well I couldn't see you."
I lifted Linea up and blew kisses on her plump cheeks several times.
Linea had grown up confined, so she had a more innocent side than other children her age, despite being 10 years old.
We should protect the child's innocence for now.
"Now, shall Linea look for Lucian?"
The sound of Lucian swallowing his breath was heard in the situation where his friend had become a traitor.
He tucked even his fingertips behind the sofa, but there's no way Linea wouldn't know!
“Lucian!”
Linea took charge of me and pointed at Lucian.
Even Lucian, who was eventually caught, readily raised his palm.
"Why are you hiding here, kids? I can see everything anyway."
"The area was narrow, so there was nowhere to hide."
At Linea's words, I approached Lucian and gently stroked the child's hair.
"I see. Then, Lucian, would you like to be the tagger this time? Linea and I will hide."
"Yes!"
Lucian looked somewhat embarrassed.
"How far can I hide?"
I asked Lucian because there might be a security zone.
Then Lucian pointed to the end of the hallway.
"That area over there is my hobby room, study room, and greenhouse, so feel free to go as much as you want."
"Really? Then Linea and I will hide from now on? Lucian, cover your eyes with your hands like I did earlier. Count to 10!"
"Yes!"
It looks like this is Lucian's first time playing hide-and-seek, too.
The child openly expressed their delight while tightly covering their eyes with both hands.
After dropping Linea off, I added.
“Don’t even listen to the sound!”
"Yes!"
Lucian kept his eyes firmly closed, removed his hand, and this time covered his ears.
"One. Two..."
As Lucian began counting the numbers like that, I gestured to Linea.
As I entered a different room from Linea, I opened my eyes wide for a moment.
'This must be the study room.'
It was such an important space that in aristocratic households, there were usually separate study rooms for three generations.
And Lucian's room was much larger than the Marquis's mansion, and it was filled with countless books.
I looked around for a place where I, an adult, could hide, then quietly approached the desk.
'History, jurisprudence, advanced etiquette, and treatises on government.'
In addition to that, there were also piles of foreign language grammar books, military treatises, and theological books.
I can't believe he learned all this.
It seems that becoming the Crown Prince is not something just anyone can do.
It was then.
Thump-thump, the sound of hushed footsteps came from the hallway.
"Oops."
I pulled the chair out a little and went under the desk.
I clutched my pounding heart for some reason.
"Gotcha! Linea!"
A sound came from outside the door.
The sound of excited children's laughter, and this time, even the sound of Lucian asking Linea.
"Now, Linea, you have to help me."
"But I can't betray Mom!"
"Just this once, okay?"
Just one time!
Lucian seemed like a more competitive child than I expected.
It seemed like they were speaking so quietly that nothing could be heard, and soon the study room door opened very quietly.
The well-oiled door opened silently, and only the sound of a child's footsteps could be heard.
Even the stifled laughter of the children.
'I just got caught.'
Still, just as I let it slide, wouldn't the kids let it slide at least once?
The moment I squeezed my body further into the desk, thinking that!
"Marchioness, I found you!"
Lucian gently pushed the chair aside and thrust only his face, darkened by the backlight, in.
“Ouch!”
When I screamed in surprise at the hide-and-seek, which was more thrilling than I expected, the children burst out laughing.
I finally said, with a sound of "Ah."
"Lucian is more merciless than I thought.'
"There is no mercy in a competition."
Lucian was cute for speaking so maturely.
However, at the same time, Lucian was a generous child to the losers.
"Take my hand, Marchioness."
I carefully held the hand of the child who said that.
Lucian's hand pulling me wasn't much help, but he had developed calluses at a younger age than I expected.
I barely managed to crawl out from under the desk and praised Lucian.
"Thank you. Lucian is a polite gentleman."
Unlike Walter.
Lucian shook his head, his eyes turning red as if he were embarrassed.
"I am still lacking a lot."
"Lucian is excellent enough at this level. By the way, what subjects are you studying these days?"
I've noticed for a while that Lucian seems to particularly like being praised by me.
He seemed like the type to study hard, so I asked him subtly, and he excitedly opened his mouth.
"These are an advanced etiquette book and a Cerveta grammar book. I am currently studying with Baron Belmand."
"Baron Belmand..."
I heard this from Carcel, but judging by the child's expression, it seems they are already close.
“Yeah. Then what about this?”
"I am learning imperial history, theories of government, and jurisprudence from Count Tabes."
“Then what about this?”
"Ah. The priest of Noction is teaching theology and philosophy!"
This was important information.
'Come to think of it, it’s not just those with access to the Crown Prince’s official and unofficial schedules who know the child’s schedule.'
If a long-time mentor had asked about his private schedule, would Lucian have been able to keep everything a secret?
I subtly sounded him out.
"I see. Who are you closest to?"
"I think I'm close with Baron Belmand. Count Tabes is always strict and scary."
"Is there someone Lucian is afraid of, too?"
When I teased him, the child smiled awkwardly and nodded.
"Of course, all the teachers are good people."
Still, there is one thing in common.
'After all, Baron Belmand is the owner of the salon, the Grand Duchess's lover, and Lucian's mentor, and at the same time, a member of the former government advisory committee.'
Everything was related to something.
He was a very influential figure.
'That doesn't mean we can rule out Count Tabes and Priest Noction, either.'
Since there isn't necessarily just one insider.
I stroked Lucian's hair.
And then, someone knocked on the study room door.
He was one of the escort knights.
"Your Highness, the time for sword sparring is approaching."
"Ah..."
Lucian looked back and forth between us, showing his disappointment.
Then, the escort knight quickly asked.
"Shall we adjust the schedule?"
But I shook my head.
"If we interfere with Lucian's schedule, it seems like the chances of coming to see you next time will decrease even further."
"Yes."
Lucian nodded obediently.
The schedule of Lucian that I received from Carcel was truly blank.
If one thing is delayed, the child's break time is pushed back even further.
"I'll come again. Don't worry. Contact us anytime you miss us."
As I leaned down to Lucian to look at the child and comfort him, the child grinned.
"Then, can I send invitations tomorrow and the day after tomorrow as well?"
"Of course. Actually, today is the first time Linea has played hide-and-seek with a friend, too. Later, when things get a little better, we can invite more friends and play together."
For now, due to security reasons, only Linea and I were allowed to enter the Crown Prince's Palace.
Feeling sorry for Lucian, who was practically cut off from all private relationships except for his father, I quietly approached him and gave him a tight hug.
"I'll be back soon, so don't be too lonely. I'll write to you every day."
Lucian, who seemed surprised at first, as if my hug was unfamiliar, soon buried his face in my chest and nodded.
'You're a child starved for affection.'
Soon, Linea also hugged Lucian's back.
"I'll be right back, Lucian!"
As Linea and I spoke affectionately while hugging Lucian, he buried his face in me for a long time before slowly pulling away.
The tip of his nose and the corners of his eyes were slightly red.
After patting the child's back one last time, I finally left the palace, promising to meet again.
***
And the week passed without incident, and the next week arrived.
"Carcel, I'll be back!
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